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Promise-Keeping and Honor
Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6
Intro: "But you promised!" "But you promised!" The screaming
child was protesting at the top of his lungs to the embarrassment
of his mother. He was attracting the attention of everyone in the
store. He wanted the whole world to know. The unbreakable was
being broken. Promises are not to be broken, but to be kept. And
obviously he had counted on it.
I know of no other profession with the possible exception of law
that hears more promises than the clergy. At Baptisms, confirmations„
marriages, in counselling sessions, it is "promises, promises,
promises."
The experience of, promises.
A. "Once I'm out of the hospital, we'll be back to church,"
promised a young mother who had shattered ankle bones after
having fallen following an extremely brief ride on a skate board.
The minister nods acceptingly having heard such promises before.
1. This is the season in which so many important promises are
made. "I, take you, to be my wedded wife, to have and to
hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer,
for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish
until death do us part." Today, nearly 1/2 of those making
these promises will break them..."leaving rumpled beds of
broken dreams." Old man Parr was as skinny and as lumpy as a
string bean. He and Mrs. Parr had been married almost 60 years.
"How have you been able to have such a long marriage? "Well,
sir, we never got angry with one another at the same time."
2. Another man had been married 12 years. A promotion led
him to the west coast where he arrived before his family to
look for a home. One month later upon his return he an-nounced
to his wife that he wanted a divorce.
B. For many in our culture promise-making is metaphorical style.
It is a way of saying something that sounds aesthetic. Promise
keeping becomes conditional and therefore temporal. Like every-thing
else in a life that centers in itself the promise is
governed by our own self interest and opportunism. ‘
1. The promise is on the verge of collapse. Nations have
difficulty using it, but without it there can be no treaty.
Domestic courts are filled with cases of broken promises.

Promise-Keeping and Honor
Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6
Intro: "But you promised!" "But you promised!" The screaming
child was protesting at the top of his lungs to the embarrassment
of his mother. He was attracting the attention of everyone in the
store. He wanted the whole world to know. The unbreakable was
being broken. Promises are not to be broken, but to be kept. And
obviously he had counted on it.
I know of no other profession with the possible exception of law
that hears more promises than the clergy. At Baptisms, confirmations„
marriages, in counselling sessions, it is "promises, promises,
promises."
The experience of, promises.
A. "Once I'm out of the hospital, we'll be back to church,"
promised a young mother who had shattered ankle bones after
having fallen following an extremely brief ride on a skate board.
The minister nods acceptingly having heard such promises before.
1. This is the season in which so many important promises are
made. "I, take you, to be my wedded wife, to have and to
hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer,
for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish
until death do us part." Today, nearly 1/2 of those making
these promises will break them..."leaving rumpled beds of
broken dreams." Old man Parr was as skinny and as lumpy as a
string bean. He and Mrs. Parr had been married almost 60 years.
"How have you been able to have such a long marriage? "Well,
sir, we never got angry with one another at the same time."
2. Another man had been married 12 years. A promotion led
him to the west coast where he arrived before his family to
look for a home. One month later upon his return he an-nounced
to his wife that he wanted a divorce.
B. For many in our culture promise-making is metaphorical style.
It is a way of saying something that sounds aesthetic. Promise
keeping becomes conditional and therefore temporal. Like every-thing
else in a life that centers in itself the promise is
governed by our own self interest and opportunism. ‘
1. The promise is on the verge of collapse. Nations have
difficulty using it, but without it there can be no treaty.
Domestic courts are filled with cases of broken promises.